I think the Skins problems can be sum up in one word…leadership. Someone please tell me who is the leader on the team? First let’s define leadership…it is the art of influencing others to achieve a common goal. Then there are the types of leaders. The formal leaders like Snyder and Spurrier, and informal leaders like assistant coaches and players. Now leaders have to earn respect, there is legal respect like being the team owner and earned respect (the best kind respect) that as a coach or player you try to achieve. The problem sometimes is that management will try to thrust that role on certain players or players in certain positions. Is Ramsey a leader because he’s a QB?? I read he was reading a lot of books about leadership over the past summer, very hard to learn to become a leader, most leaders are born that way. So that said is brings me back to my original question, who on this team is a leader.

Lavar-maybe he can become one, but I think his comments earlier this year offended some of his teammates, because he himself is not having a great year

Champ-I don’t think so, just not his style, he is looking elsewhere, if he doesn’t want to be a Redskins fine, so long not a lot we can do. Ask the Yankees about Petit

Old ball coach- Just don’t see it…I believe a head coaches main job is to motivate. You don’t have to be a great x and o guy (which he is) to be successful as a head coach

Synder- very seldom do you see a owner serve as the team leader, much like you don’t see a great Army General leading his troops, it usually some Lt or Captain that the troop look up to.

I tell the one guy I love here and has shown more leadership then any player this year. This guy loves playing football, loves being a Redskin and has played his heart out on the field. He came back early from a very painful injury and that is Fred Smoot

Do we need an overhaul; I say no, winning cures all ills. If three or four of the close games go our way this yea,r we are all singing a different tune. This team knows how to lose a close game, they have to learn how to win the close games and that come with leadership. A few examples around the league, how bout Carolina, you don’t think guys like Dehlome and Davis don’t make a difference, forget the Davis was a Redskin. How bout the Pats, all those injuries, didn’t matter, guys like Brady and Law provided the leadership. There are many more. So again I ask who is a leader on this team?

"Sean Taylor is hands down the best athlete I've ever coached it's not even close" Gregg Williams 2005 Mini-Camp

As soon as I started reading your post, Smoot came into my mind, up until this year, I wasn't really sure about him, he seemed to talk more than play, he reminded me of Deion Sanders except he wasn't half as good, but this year, he has shown that he is a leader and plays very good. I would vote for smoot as are leader, he changed my mind with one season (this year), I really like the guy.

I posted it in a few camp reports... the guy was just having fun out there and he is ALWAYS the most vocal player on the field at practice. DEHog is right too... IMO, it isn't cockiness... he just loves being out there playing ball.

I think Jon Jansen and Lavar have pretty much been appointed leaders though I'm not sure either of them possess that much nartural leadership ability. I like JJ's quiet, unassuming leadership qualities though.